Help! What's wrong with my long-neck?
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Posted by Indy on April 24, 2002 at 08:32:01:
Hi! i have an australian longneck turtle who has suddenly started acting very strange. Less than a week ago he stopped eating- very strange for him, he generally loves his food- and over the last few days he's just been sitting on his land in the one spot and sleeping. The only movements he's made are to put his head in and out of the water and occasionally look up if he senses someone. He's also got a lot of fat on him especially around his back legs which ive never noticed before- as if he's been holding it in all this time and suddenly decided to let it all hang out. Otherwise he seems healthy- no infections, fungus, cuts etc.
At first i thought he was going into hibernation but then i measured the temperature of his water. He lives in a 20" tank indoors, the water temp is between 21-24 deg C. He doesnt have a heater in his tank but we do have central heating so the room is usually warm. i really dont think its cold enough for him to hibernate.
He's about one year old so i also think he's too young to hibernate. His shell length is about 5.5cm and from what ive just read on a website, he's way to big for his age (apparently he's the size of a 3yr old!). i guess ive been feeding him too much- he's always been fed daily and eats very happily. In fact he wouldnt let me sleep until i fed him (quite literally- the tank is in my room so he would flap around like crazy getting my attention so i would feed him). Could overgrowth be causing his change in behaviour? He has a nice hard shell, and his scutes are not pyrmaid shaped or he doesnt have clear growth rings ( ive read these are signs of overgrowth).
Does anyone know whats going on? I havent changed any of his living conditions- they're the same as usual and he's always been very happy!
Also, within the next few weeks i was going to move him outside to a pond. Should i still put him out there (the temperatures are going to be colder out there than in his tank of course)?
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